The Prophecy : A Power Rangers Story
by owenlars1
Summary: This is set after the episode "Countdown to Destruction." The characters belong to Saban. I hope you enjoy! All comments welcome.
1. Chapter 1

THE PROPHECY - A POWER RANGERS TALE

CHAPTER 1 - THE FOG

The day had arrived. Tanya and Kat had arranged everything to the smallest detail. At three o'clock the guests would be arriving, but at the moment the girls still had a lot to do.

Half past one and Tommy walked in carrying the box of cutlery and crockery he had been requested, or rather _told _to bring.

"Hey guys, where do you you want this stuff?" he asked.

"In here Tommy" Kat replied from the kitchen. Tommy entered and put the box down on a nearby table.

"Hey, I thought the other guys would be here by now" Tanya said to him, concerned.

"I just saw Adam and Jason at the high street store. They're getting a few things for the gathering" Tommy informed her.

"And Rocky?" Tanya quizzed.

"I've got to go and pick him up now. His car's broken down."

"Oh, we're going to be _so_ not ready!" Tanya stressed to Kat.

"We'll be okay" Kat reassured her. "You'd better go Tommy."

Tommy got the hint. "Alright, see you in a bit" he replied.

Tommy pulled up outside Rocky's house and Rocky ran out before he had time to switch the engine off. He opened the passenger door and hopped onto the seat.

"Thanks Tommy" Rocky said appreciatively.

"No sweat man" Tommy replied. "But we'd better move, the girls are a bit worried about being ready on time."

"But they've been there all day" Rocky shrugged.

"I know, but you know what they're like about things being right" Tommy smiled.

Rocky gave a smirk, and as the car pulled away from the kerbside, he looked out of the window at the passing scenery. It was the perfect day. It was warm but not too hot and the sky was a tropical blue and cloudless. As he gazed, something strange in the distance caught his eye. He thought it looked like a sort of purplish haze, but as he strained his eyes to see it, it disappeared totally from view. His concentration was broken by a question.

"So are you ready?" Tommy asked.

Rocky turned and looked at Tommy blankly. "Ready for what?" he asked.

"To meet the Space Rangers. I mean you're the only one of us not to have met any of them."

"Yeh of course...I suppose so" Rocky replied, his mind elsewhere.

Tommy glanced across at him and smiled. "You'll be alright" he said. "I'll introduce you to them."

Rocky did not answer, he was looking out of the window again.

"Of course none of us have met Andros or Zhane" Tommy continued. "They're from KO-35 apparently, but it'll be great getting to know them."

Rocky looked over at Tommy and nodded. "Yeh" he replied distractedly.

They pulled up outside the little hall the girls had booked for the gathering. Jason and Adam were unloading the back of Jason's truck. Tommy wound the window down as Jason approached. They clasped hands.

"How's it going, man?" Jason said with one of his cheeky grins.

"Yeh, great" Tommy replied. "Any of them arrived yet?"

"We just got here ourselves" Jason answered. "Fancy giving us a hand to unload?"

"Course" Tommy smiled. "Gonna help us Rocky?" he asked, turning to the Blue Ranger, and noticing him staring intently out of the passenger window.

"Sorry?" Rocky asked, turning quickly.

Tommy looked out in the same direction but couldn't see what had captured Rocky's attention. "What were you looking at?" he asked, intrigued.

"Uh I don't know" Rocky said dismissively. "Probably nothing" he added, shrugging it off, and he opened the passenger door and got out to help.

In the hall Tanya got the boys working hard, laying out the tables for the food. About half past two, they heard a call from the hall's front door. "Hello!" came the call. It was Kimberley. She walked in carrying a hamper of food, followed by Zack and Trini. The others walked over and greeted them.

"I know you said three" Kimberley said, "but we just couldn't wait to meet up with you all."

"That's fine" Kat assured her. "It's good to see you all. Looks like you bear gifts too."

"Just a little something to help out" Kim continued, placing the hamper on a table.

"Besides, I know how these boys can eat..._especially Rocky_" she said, giving him a knowing look. Everyone laughed.

Rocky turned red as he felt everyone's gaze upon him."It's just a healthy appetite" he said innocently. Everyone laughed again.

"Well being as you are early" Tanya said "perhaps you can help us finish setting up."

"Glad to" Kim replied, and they all started lending a hand.

Not long after, a knock came at the door. Everyone looked as Aisha popped her head in. "Anyone home?" she said comically.

"Aisha!" Tanya shouted and she and Kim dashed over to see their long lost friend. "I thought you couldn't make it!" Tanya continued after embracing her friend.

"My dad paid for the flight, so I decided to stay for a few days, and I thought I'd surprise you all."

"Well it's the best surprise ever" Tanya cried, with tears in her eyes.

"Yeh, absolutely" Kim echoed, holding onto Aisha's arm. Aisha was led into the group and reunited with the rest of her friends.

At three o'clock on the dot the hall looked fantastic. The tables were set with food, the welcoming banners, decorations and bunting were in place.

"Told you it would be alright" Kat said, smiling at Tanya.

Tanya breathed a sigh of relief. "All we need now is for the guests to arrive" she said flopping down into a chair.

Half past three came and went. Quarter to four and still nobody had arrived.

"Where are they?" Tanya said, starting to stress again.

"I hope they're alright" Kat answered, shaking her head at Rocky, who had started tucking into the snacks.

"I'm starving!" he protested, putting his second piece of cake down with a pained expression.

"Maybe they're stuck in traffic" Trini suggested, trying to lighten the mood.

"Yeh, a space jam!" Jason quipped. Zack burst out a laugh, but was hastily quietened by a dig in the ribs from Trini.

At ten past four, they were all about to give up hope when in darted an unfamiliar face. It was Andros the Red Space Ranger, and he looked exhausted and hot.

"Are you...the Power Rangers?" he puffed.

"Yes" replied Tommy seriously, walking up to him.

"Oh at..last" Andros continued. "Sorry but.."

"Have a seat man" Tommy interrupted, grabbing a chair and helping him onto it. "Catch your breath first."

Andros took a few deep breaths and continued. "We were all in Carlos' camper van, and first we got lost and then the stupid thing broke down. Not thinking it would be far, Zhane and I decided to walk here and get help, but then we got split up. I've no idea where he is now."

"Don't worry man" Tommy responded. "I'll help you look."

"I'll go with you Tommy" Jason offered.

"Thankyou" Andros said appreciatively. "I'm Andros by the way."

"I'm Tommy" Tommy said shaking his hand and he introduced everyone to him.

"I hope we haven't spoiled the day" Andros continued, noticing the elaborate decorations which embellished the hall.

"Of course not!" cried Tanya. "We just hope you all get here safely."

"Yeh, we'd better get going" Tommy said.

The three of them left the hall. About twenty minutes later Tommy dropped off TJ, Ashley, Cassie and Carlos outside the hall, while he continued the search for Zhane. As the Space Rangers entered a big cheer went up and clapping broke out, all in aid of that momentous day when they had helped to conquer evil. The Zeo Rangers rushed over to their old friends and introduced them to the original Power Rangers.

After tucking into the food, they all settled down to share tales of heroic deeds, narrow escapes and amazing adventures. TJ was perhaps the best storyteller, adding a few extras here and there, which Cassie was quick to pick him up on.

Everyone was having a great time. All except perhaps for Rocky. He was keen to tell about some of the Zeo Ranger's adventures, but he wasn't very good at relating a story, and everytime he started, someone would jump in with an adventure that made them sound like they were the hero.

He got up for another plate of snacks (his fifth) and as he did, Tommy, Jason and Andros entered followed by the elusive Zhane. Another cheer went up from the group and Zhane was quickly ushered in, given food and drink and a chair to sit on. He was a tall, blond and very beautiful lad who looked every bit the hero. As the Space Rangers began to tell of Zhane's heroic deeds that saved them on many occasions, he soon became the centre of attention.

"Great!" Rocky thought to himself. "Another hero! I thought we were all supposed to be a team!"

He endured a little longer, then got up and took his plate into the kitchen. He didn't feel much like listening to heroic tales, so noticing the open back door, he wandered outside. The hall had a pretty back garden which afforded a great view over the valley below the town. He sat down on a bench and looked to the horizon, a little fed up.

A while later some of the girls came into the kitchen to start on the washing up. Zhane came into the kitchen bringing out his plate.

"Where do you want this?" he asked.

"Just on the side there" Kat replied, smiling at him. Zhane smiled in return, and with his attention still on her, he put his plate down only to miss the right spot. It fell off the unit and hit the floor, smashing into pieces.

Zhane was all apologies. He felt like a fool especially after all the tales of heroic deeds.

"Don't worry, it's just one of my old plates" Kat reassured him, but he still felt foolish. She grabbed a dustpan and started sweeping up the pieces. Zhane quickly followed her down onto his haunches and held the dustpan and brush firm.

"_No, let me_" he said earnestly. Kat looked up and their eyes met. It was only for a second but to Kat it seemed much longer. As she gazed into his clear blue eyes she began to feel her cheeks burn.

"Okay" she said conceding, suddenly aware of the situation. She got to her feet and quickly started on the washing up. She hoped the whole thing hadn't been too obvious.

Zhane slowly continued the sweeping, his eyes focused on the fractured pieces of white porcelain. He too had felt something in their gaze, but hadn't Tommy told him that he and Kat were going out? Quickly he dismissed the whole thing from his mind. He rose to his feet and handed the dustpan to Tanya.

"I...I'm just going out for some air" he said as inconspicuously as possible, tripping over the back doorstep as he went.

Outside he leaned against the back wall and blew out a sigh. "That was a little awkward" he thought to himself.

It wasn't long before his eyes fell on the slumped shape of Rocky, who was still sat on the bench. Zhane wondered what he was doing out here by himself, so he walked up to the back of his bench.

"It's a great view" he commented.

Rocky turned quickly. He hadn't heard Zhane approach and was caught unprepared. He couldn't help showing his frustration on his face. "Yeh" he mumbled dejectedly, looking away. Suddenly realizing his response was rude, he looked back up at The Silver Ranger, hoping he hadn't offended him.

"Are you alright?" Zhane asked concerned, realizing that something was wrong.

"Yeh" Rocky said dismissively, shrugging his shoulders. "I..I'm just not very good company today" he said, looking down.

Zhane came around to the front of the bench and sat by him. He could sense his anguish. "Is there anything I can do to help?" he said kindly.

Rocky began to feel a little ashamed. "I'm okay really..." he said a little agitated, his shoulders tensing up. He knew he was going to have to come clean. "I just..." he blew out a sigh. "I just didn't feel a part of it in there, that's all" he confessed.

Zhane put his hand on Rocky's shoulder and gave him an understanding smile. He thought for a moment. "I _hope_ that wasn't because of _me_" he said slowly.

Rocky froze for a second. He wanted to say no, but he had always been inclined to tell the absolute truth, no matter the consequence.

"...Well...partly.." he admitted painfully, but not wanting to hurt Zhane's feelings he added quickly "...but it's not _your_ fault, it's _mine_, I..." he hung his head in shame as he thought of it "...I guess I was jealous" he confessed.

Zhane put his arm around Rocky's shoulder and smiled at him. "Don't worry about it" he said kindly. "Andros always makes me out to be some sort of _superhero_. The truth is, we succeed because we work together as a team. No one is more important than anyone else."

Rocky nodded in agreement.

"It was wrong of us to brag" Zhane continued. "Perhaps _all_ of us were a little jealous."

Zhane's words melted all of Rocky's feelings of uneasiness. He realized his new friend's concern was deep and genuine. ########################################

Zhane smiled in return, realizing his growing fondness for the Blue Zeo Ranger.

"Listen, shall we go back inside?" he asked.

"Is there any food left?" Rocky replied cheekily. He looked up at Zhane but Zhane was looking out over the valley, and his expression had become much more serious.

Rocky turned to share Zhane's view and saw what had captured his attention. There in front of them was the same purple haze that Rocky had seen earlier, only now it was much thicker and hanging over the entire valley. It seemed to be getting closer fast. For some seconds the lads remained motionless, transfixed. The approaching fog now began to glow strangely and to make the howling noise of a powerful storm.

Rocky turned to Zhane. "We should tell the others!" he said urgently. Zhane continued to stare at the fog, as if he hadn't heard Rocky. In a matter of seconds, the gentle breeze of the day grew strength to become a gale.

Zhane now stood up and took a couple of slow steps towards the storm. "Go inside Rocky!" he said seriously, still facing it.

"What?" Rocky responded incredulously.

"Go inside Rocky!" Zhane repeated, now shouting above the almost unbearable noise, "This fate is mine!"

Rocky looked at Zhane anxiously. He had started heading towards the fog once more and was getting dangerously close.

"No!" Rocky shouted desperately. He ran up to Zhane and grabbed his shoulder, halting him.

Zhane turned to him with a horrified look on his face. "GO! Rocky... _please!_" he bellowed and pushed him vigorously away, sending him to the ground. He turned towards the storm once more and stood, arms wide open and head raised as if he was offering himself up as some human sacrifice.

All of a sudden, out from the centre of the storm, came a large purple sphere glowing like the storm itself. It headed rapidly towards the lads.

The others in the hall had all heard the commotion by now and were rushing out of the door. Tommy ran towards the lads to help but was forced back by the strength of the wind. Shielding his eyes, he could just make out Rocky diving onto Zhane to save him from the approaching sphere. He saw the boys hit the ground, then the strange sphere come down right on top of them. He looked in disbelief as it seemed to engulf them both.

"No!" he shouted, as it immediately began to rise back into the fog from where it had come. Within seconds the sphere disappeared, the deafening noise subsided and the thick fog totally dispersed, as if it had never been.

Tommy ran to the scene, but it was too late. Rocky and Zhane had gone. The others ran up behind him, they were all in a daze.

Tanya grabbed his arm and held it tightly. "Tommy" she said in a frightened voice, "Where are they? Where did they go?"

"I don't know" Tommy said helplessly. "I don't know."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 - On A Strange World

Many light years away, in a distant galaxy, a glowing purple sphere gently floated down to the surface of a strange world. It gradually dispersed, leaving Rocky and Zhane on their backs on the hard stony surface. They were both unconscious.

In time Rocky began to come round. He raised himself slowly, holding his head as he sat up and opened his eyes. Gradually his vision came into focus, and he began to make out his surroundings. He was lying on a flat gravelly surface that seemed to go on for miles in every direction. Nothing seemed to in the distance, no trees, no mountains, nothing. Everywhere was grey and parched and the warm dusty wind seemed to be whining eerily.

He caught sight of Zhane and rushed over to him. As he approached, Zhane began to stir and Rocky helped him to sit up. "Are you okay?" Rocky asked anxiously.

Zhane opened his eyes only to close them again quickly. "Ooh my head's throbbing" he responded.

"Yeh I know how you feel " Rocky said.

Zhane opened his eyes again and looked about him.

"Where do you think we are?" Rocky asked him.

Zhane took a few seconds to get his senses. Then he stood up all of a sudden, remembering the events that had just happened. He frowned and turned to face away from Rocky.

"Rocky...why didn't you go when I said?" he asked in an unnerving steady voice. "This isn't for you."

Rocky stood back confused. "_What_ isn't for me?" he asked. Zhane did not answer.

"And why did you let yourself be taken by that sphere?" Rocky continued.

Zhane was silent for a moment. He mulled over the answers to Rocky's questions. The moaning wind around him seemed to add to his apprehension.

"Because...it was my destiny" he said slowly and deliberately. "And now I've got you involved too."

Rocky was even more confused. "Involved in what? What is this all about?" he asked, getting impatient.

Zhane looked at the ground. He didn't want to retell what he knew. It was a great burden he had carried for years, and which he had tried to put out of his mind as much as possible. He turned to face Rocky.

"I'll start at the beginning" he said conceding. "You'd better sit down."

Both boys sat on the hard surface.

"Many years ago" Zhane began, "on my home planet KO-35, some archaeologists discovered a fragment of rock buried deep within the earth. On the rock was an inscription, carved in an unknown language. For many years it was a mystery, but eventually, a group of dedicated cryptographers managed to decipher part of the inscription. What was discovered was an account of a distant planet that, almost a thousand years ago was ruled by a powerful and immortal evil evil monarch had defeated the good monarch, who alone had the right to rule. Also on the stone though was a prophecy. The prophecy said that there would be one who would arise to defeat the evil monarch, restoring the good monarch to the throne and setting all wrongs to right. It spoke of an ever roaming cloud, that would seek out the "one" at the right time, and transport them to the foretold place...

"So.." interrupted Rocky "..this is the place, and you're the one who was chosen. But how did you know _you_ were the foretold one?"

"Because of more of the inscription" continued Zhane. It foretold that the chosen one would be a defender of all that is right and good, would be of the race where the rock would be discovered and would be a descendant of a guardian. Of all the power rangers on KO-35, where the rock was found, I'm the only one who has a guardian in their ancestry. That's how I knew that this day would come, and this proves it" he said pointing to the surroundings of the strange planet they were on.

"Okay.." said Rocky slowly, taking it all in "..but why did you want to come alone? We all could have helped."

Zhane hesitated. He gazed at Rocky's perplexed expression, his heart pounding in his chest. Finally, he mustered up the words he had vowed himself never to tell another living soul.

"Because...the prophecy says that in defeating the evil monarch, the chosen one would...would pay the ultimate sacrifice, he would..he would lose his life..." He looked anxiously at Rocky trying to hide the fear in his eyes. "That's why I _must_ do this alone...I cannot risk anyone else's life." He bowed his head from the overwhelming emotion.

Rocky didn't know what to say. He tried to take it all in. Did Zhane really have to lose his life? He couldn't comprehend it. He put his hand on Zhane's shoulder and spoke from his heart.

"Remember what you said to me just moments ago on our world. You said that we succeed because we work together as a team. I'm not going to let you do this alone, whatever the risk. Together, we'll defeat this evil monarch."

Zhane saw the determination in Rocky's eyes. His selflessness impressed him deeply. He leaned on Rocky's shoulder and couldn't prevent the tears from forming in his eyes.

"Thankyou" he said appreciatively. "Thankyou."

Two hours later the lads had walked for what seemed forever over the harsh, rocky plain that became rougher and stonier the further they went. At last in the distance, they could just make out the outline of a mountain range. Rocky stopped for a moment, exhausted. He bent forward breathing hard. Zhane who had been leading realized and turned.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Yeh, if you can call several blisters okay" panted Rocky.

"Let's rest" suggested Zhane."Goodness knows how much further we need to go."

They both sat down, each finding a largish boulder on which to perch.

"How do we even know we're going the right way?" asked Rocky, removing his plimsoles and feeling the sores on his feet.

"We don't" replied Zhane. "But the prophecy states that _the way _would find the chosen one."

Rocky sighed. "Well I'm beat" he said. "I hope we don't have to go too much further... ..and this heat is unbearable!

He looked across at Zhane, waiting for a response, but Zhane had turned and was now looking in the direction that they had to go. He seemed eager to carry on.

"I'm sorry" Rocky said slowly. "I'm holding you back. Some help I am!"

Zhane turned to face him and smiled. "Don't be sorry" he said. "I'm glad I have your company. I'd hate to be here alone."

Rocky returned the smile. "Well however far we have to go, we're going to have to find some food and water soon" he said.

"I hear you kinda like your food " Zhane said grinning.

"Who told you that?" Rocky asked, his expression showing more concern than was necessary.

"Well, one or two things were said about you in the hall" Zhane replied.

"What?" asked Rocky "What was said?"

"Well, your insatiable appetite was one" Zhane teased.

Rocky's cheeks burned crimson red. "I.._don't think_.. I eat..._that much_" he stammered, trying to justify himself.

Zhane's grin turned into a broad smile. He had become very fond of Rocky. He was naturally amusing and he possessed a great honesty that was very endearing.

"I'm just kidding." Zhane reassured him. "Anyway, it's clear all your friends likes you."

"I get on really well with Adam and Tommy" Rocky reflected. "And Tanya and Kat are really awesome" he added.

As Rocky spoke Kat's name, Zhane's thoughts fixed on the fleeting moment he and Kat had shared. It gave him a warm feeling inside, and yet it made him feel guilty too. He suddenly realized that he would never see her face again, in fact he would never see any of the Rangers...TJ...Cassie...Andros...

"What?" asked Rocky, noticing Zhane's face beginning to contort.

Zhane swallowed hard and fought the intense feeling. He gathered his thoughts for Rocky's sake. "That's good" he said, pushing past the pain and braving a smile.

Rocky looked down, thoughtful. "Are you quite close to your friends?" he asked innocently.

As Zhane contemplated Rocky's question, the faces of his friends flashed through his mind. This time, the idea of never seeing them again hit him with full force. He struggled to fight it, but the feeling was crippling. He suddenly realized he had to do something, anything. If he didn't his emotions would get the better of him.

"Shall we go?" he managed to blurt out as he sprung to his feet. He turned quickly, trying to conceal the pain he felt and started heading towards the mountainrange in the distance once more. He knew it was wrong to just walk away from Rocky, but he just couldn't open up and talk about it.

Rocky was stunned for a moment. He quickly grabbed his socks and shoes, slipped them on and followed after him, wondering why Zhane had just walked off. Then, he realized what he had said, and he could have kicked himself! How could he have been so stupid?

They both walked on in silence. They didn't even seem to notice the rocks now. Zhane strode out ahead, struggling to come to terms with his fate. In the past he had never hesitated to give up his life for a cause, he would have given it in a heartbeat. But now that he had all this time to think about it he kept holding onto the reasons why he wanted to live. He increased his pace, each rhythmic, almost hypnotic footstep seemed to help in some small way. Rocky kept up as best he could, his blisters now on fire. He wanted to apologize for his thoughtlessness, but he realized it was best not to broach the subject at the moment, he had done enough damage. All he could do was to be there for Zhane and try not to make things anymore difficult.

They hadn't gone much further when they began to feel the ground tremble beneath their feet. Gently at first and inconsistently so that they had hardly noticed it. But every so often it was growing more and more powerful.

"What's that Zhane?" Rocky called to him, anxiety in his eyes.

Zhane did not answer. He was looking intently around him, trying to see what could be causing it. He stopped suddenly, looking back in the direction they had come from and squinted his eyes. There was something making its way rapidly towards them, but he couldn't quite make it out yet. Was it? No! It couldn't be but...

All of a sudden Rocky saw Zhane's jaw drop and his eyes flash wide open.

"Run Rocky!" he yelled. "Run!"

Zhane began to bolt across the plain, away from the approaching menace. Rocky began to follow him, but he just had to see what it was. Half running, half jogging he kept looking back to try and make out their pursuer. It wasn't long before he too was running at top speed. For what they had both seen, was an immense volume of water, making its way across the rocky desert. Its sheer size looked as if it were an ocean returning to its basin and although it was a few miles away, it appeared much closer.

The two kept running as fast as they could. There was nowhere to run, nothing to shelter them from the rapidly advancing water. All the time the trembling grew more intense, and the noise swelled into a mighty roar. All seemed lost for the boys. Soon they would be completely immersed.

All of a sudden, a great tremor shook the earth violently. The force sent them both reeling to the ground. Zhane looked back and saw that Rocky was a good hundred yards behind him and that the water was another several hundred yards beyond Rocky, but it was closing fast. The earth shook again and Zhane saw the ground ahead of him being rent apart. Amongst all the confusion Zhane kept his head.

"Rocky!" he shouted. "Quick, get on the other side of the rift!"

He looked back to see if Rocky had heard him, but Rocky was motionless. He lay with the side of his face on the ground, unconscious. What was he to do? If he made a bolt for it he might just be able to save himself. If he went back for Rocky they would both certainly perish. In the split second that his mind chewed over the dilemma, he thought of saving himself so that he could fulfill the prophecy. Should he sacrifice Rocky's life to save the people of an entire world? He looked back, tears in his eyes. No! He wasn't going to sacrifice him. He had lost too many friends in death. Someone else was going to have to fulfill the prophecy.

He bolted back towards Rocky, the water now almost upon them. He lifted his limp body and without looking back he struggled towards the crevasse. With desperation on his face and all hope gone from his heart, he prepared himself to be swallowed up at any instant. Each nerve-shattering second was worse than the last. The noise was unbearable now and in his despair he let out a cry...

All of a sudden, the deafening roar of the water grew softer. Was his mind playing tricks? He didn't dare look back, but after a moment or two he noticed that it definitely was quieter. He opened his eyes and to his amazement he had made it to the opening of the crevasse. With no time to think, he strode across the gap which was just narrow enough. He fell to the ground, breathing hard, somehow managing not to drop Rocky.

What had happened? How had he made it? He turned to behold the scene, and what he saw made his spine tingle. The immense crest of the breaking water, that had been about to plunge right down on top of them was completely motionless, as if frozen in time. It was as if someone had pressed the pause button on a video. On his knees and with Rocky still in his arms, he could do nothing but stare at the surreal vision in disbelief.

Seconds later, the ground shook violently again, ripping the crevasse apart until it was a good fifty yards wide, stretching into the distance in both directions. With an ear -shattering roar, the water broke forth from its fixed position and within seconds it was pouring ferociously over the edge into the deep rift below. The sudden shock of the noise and the complete relief of the whole thing was too much to bear. He wept inconsolably.


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3 - THE PORTAL

The sun was just beginning to hide itself behind the rim of the ever-growing mountain range on the horizon, while the brightest of the stars were beginning to reveal themselves in the strange ethereal lilac sky.

Up to a huge boulder Zhane dragged his weary body. For the past few hours he had carried the still unconscious Rocky, and now he gently lay his head on his lap. He could see the mark on the side of Rocky's head where he had hit the stone during his fall. Blood was still around it. He ripped off a bit from the bottom of his shirt, spat on it and wiped the dried blood away. Hungry, thirsty and totally exhausted, he lay his own head back against the boulder. It was rough and uncomfortable, but he was too tired to move it. Within seconds he was fast asleep.

He was awoken by a strange sound. At least he thought it strange at first. As he came to his senses, he realized that Rocky was stirring,and had begun to moan during his return to consciousness. He pulled his head forward quickly, only to wince with pain from the sharp piece of rock he had rested against during the night. Dismissing the pain he checked to see if Rocky was alright. He was quiet again now and had stopped moving. He put his hand on Rocky's forehead. He was pretty cold. In fact he only noticed then himself how cold it had gone.

He looked in the direction they had come from. He could tell from the rim of light on the horizon that the sun was about to show itself again soon. He dreaded the thought of the unbearable heat again, and he realized he was going to have to find water today, especially for Rocky in his condition.

Rocky began to stir again, more restless this time.

"...I...where..." he mumbled.

"Rocky?" Zhane asked anxiously.

Rocky moaned again, screwing his eyes up from the pain that hit him as he slowly came into consciousness.

"Rocky...are you alright?" Zhane asked again.

Rocky slowly began to open his eyes. He looked up and caught sight of Zhane, confusion written all over his face. He tried to move but the pain hit him like a ton of bricks and he had to close his eyes tightly again.

"It's okay " Zhane tried to reassure him. "Don't try to move."

Rocky struggled to grasp his situation. "Where am I?" he asked anxiously.

"You've been unconscious" Zhane informed him. "At least fifteen hours."

Rocky tried to reflect on the past events. "The water!" he cried all of a sudden, his legs kicking into the air.

"It's okay, we made it" Zhane replied, calming him. "How do you feel?"

"Not so good" Rocky replied slowly. "My head hurts...I'm thirsty too."

"Just try and rest" Zhane replied, and he put his hand on his head to comfort him.

It was another hour before Rocky finally sat up. Zhane propped him up against the boulder.

"Listen Rocky" he said "I must try and find us some water. You wait here. I'll be as quick as I can."

"I should come too" Rocky weakly protested.

"No you wait here mate" Zhane replied. "I wont be long."

Zhane gave his friend a reassuring smile, then he turned and started his search for any sign of water. There had to be some somewhere. It would be pointless being brought to this place to fulfill a prophecy, if they were going to die of thirst before accomplishing it. Besides, something or someone had kept them safe during the disaster they had just escaped. He stopped in his tracks, pondering over the miracle that had saved them both. Terrible feelings of guilt began to wash over him for getting Rocky mixed up in the whole affair. What if he had allowed Rocky to die? He couldn't bear to think about it. He certainly wouldn't have been able to continue his task. The whole thing was too overwhelming and so he tried to take his mind off the harrowing subject.

He put his hand to his eyes to protect them from the glare of the rising sun and started his search once more. Half an hour later, it soon became obvious that there was no water. Only rocks, boulders and mile upon mile of barren land. He dropped to his knees and hung his head despondently. In all his battles, in all his adventures as a power ranger, nothing had been so arduous as these last days had been. It made him feel pitiful and useless. He was going to have to let Rocky know that there was no water but he despised the very thought of it.

As he knelt there, lost in thought, he didn't notice the wind growing in strength. All of a sudden the sky above flashed intensely with light and a noise that sounded like a thousand glass panes shattering filled the air. Within seconds, the thunder storm that had crept slowly upon him burst its stores to release a torrential downpour of rain. He looked up to the sky, the cooling water refreshing his face. Then it hit him. With renewed strength he got to his feet and bolted back to his friend.

"Rocky!" he shouted excitedly as his friend came into view. "Rocky!"

Rocky was now lying on the ground. He had been too dizzy to remain sitting and so he lay with his mouth wide open, catching the large drops of water on his tongue and swallowing when he had collected enough. Zhane saw his friends antics, and began to laugh heartily. It was a laugh of complete relief; this storm had probably saved their lives.

The copious downpour began to fill indentations on the tops of the large boulders around them and they soon became little pools of water. Zhane helped Rocky stand up against one boulder, about head height, and soon both were drinking deeply and to their hearts content.

It was two days before Rocky felt well enough to continue. Over the past forty-eight hours it had rained on and off, and so the two lads had had plenty of water for their needs. Feeling refreshed, but now very hungry and a little soggy, they set out once more on their quest. Nothing much happened over the next day or two, except that the once-distant mountains were at last growing quite close.

On the fifth day after their arrival on the strange world, they reached the foot of the tallest of all the mountains.

"What now?" Rocky asked apathetically, already knowing the answer.

"I suppose we climb" Zhane answered rather matter-of-fact. In truth, neither looked forward to the prospect. It had been a long trek through the wilderness and this was the last thing they needed. Zhane looked up at the rugged face of the mountain and gave a sigh. It looked steep and dangerous.

"Let's have a rest first" he suggested. "We'll need all our strength to climb this."

They both slumped down with their backs to the rock.

Zhane picked a stone up from the ground. He stared at it, his mind racing while he intently wiped the dust off its rough sides. He knew what he wanted to say but he was struggling to say it.

"I'm sorry Rocky, for getting you involved in this" he said at last. "I wouldn't know what I'd have done if you..." He couldn't finish the sentence.

Rocky sensed his friends pain. "It's not exactly your fault. I kinda gatecrashed that sphere you know" he said smiling, trying to lighten the mood. It seemed to help Zhane a little.

"Anyway, I'm glad I'm here" Rocky continued. "I know I haven't been exactly too helpful yet, but I'll support you anyway I can."

"You have supported me, already" Zhane said thoughtfully. "I wouldn't have got this far without your help."

Rocky looked back at his friend a little confused. Until now he had felt more of a hindrance to Zhane than a help, and it had prodded his conscience for most of the journey.

"You would have gone a lot further, if you hadn't had to carry me "he replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Zhane suddenly deduced Rocky's feelings of discomfort on the subject, and yet he couldn't help smiling at the unintended humour. "I was talking about your friendship" he continued, giving Rocky's shoulder a gentle shake. "It means a _lot_ to me. _More_ than you know."

Rocky looked down. "Yours does too" he said almost under his breath.

Zhane put his arm around Rocky and rested his head on his shoulder. Both boys felt so weak they wondered if they would ever move from here. They sensed the gentle beatings of each others heart and soon, both had drifted off into a deep sleep.

When Rocky awoke Zhane was looking up at the steep sides of the mountain. He looked down at Rocky and smiled.

"How do you feel?" he asked his friend.

"Better" Rocky replied. "Much better"

"Alright my friend" Zhane said. "What do you say we go fulfill this prophecy?"

"Let's do it!" Rocky exclaimed.

It was a long and difficult climb. The boys took it slowly, careful of every step and every hold they took. Just as they thought a handhold was safe it would give way, and several times they had been close to falling. As best as he could, Zhane, who had started the ascent first, tried to get Rocky to follow his route as closely as possible. He kept calling out both direction and encouragement.

After about half an hour, Zhane noticed an indentation in the rock not far above him. As he got closer he realized it was a natural cave. He pulled himself up onto the ledge, and moments later, he pulled Rocky up to safety too. They sat in the mouth of the cave breathing hard. It had taken a lot out of them, especially as they hadn't eaten for so long.

Rocky looked into the inky blackness of the cave.

"Do you feel that?" he asked.

"Yes, yes I do" Zhane replied. He put his hand out towards the cave. "There's definitely a current of air coming through here. I'd say there's probably an entrance on the other side."

Rocky looked at Zhane, waiting for his friend to confirm what they should do next.

"Come on Rocky, we have to try" Zhane encouraged. "It's safer than climbing...I hope."

The lads made their way cautiously into the thick blackness, following the trail of air that blew cool on their faces. Not far in, it was too dark to see anything and they began to grope along the rough sandstone walls. The cave walls seemed to be constantly twisting and turning and sometimes it seemed to stop altogether, giving way to a complex of more passages. Only the constant flow of air gave the clue as which way to go.

It seemed like hours before they could finally make out something in the distance. As they came closer they realized it was a brilliant shaft of light, coming down from a narrow slit in the roof of the cave and illuminating a perfect circle on the floor of the cave ahead of them. As they edged closer, they noticed that the circle, an intense turquoise-blue, seemed to be fluctuating. They stood, only a foot away now, their eyes focused on the dancing circle of light.

Rocky was the first to speak. "What do you think it is?" he asked, his face full of wonder.

Zhane did not answer. He knelt down by the circle to get a closer look. He noticed a small stone by his feet, illuminated by the intense light,and he threw into the middle of the circle. It immediately disappeared. He stood up quickly, taken aback.

Rocky gazed at his friend. "Where did it go?"

"It's a portal." Zhane said slowly. "Or I'm pretty sure it's a portal. I've heard of them before. They link places that can be apart by great distances. The thing is, do we go through?"

Rocky couldn't believe his ears. "Us? Go through that?" he said in disbelief. "It could take us anywhere! And what if it isn't a portal? It might kill us!"

Zhane looked at his friend seriously. "Listen Rocky, remember the prophecy said that the way would find the chosen one. I think that this must be the way. I think its here for us. "

Rocky anxiously chewed over Zhane's words.

"Anyway" Zhane continued, "I don't see that we're safer off where we are right now. Who knows what might happen to us here? Remember the sea of water?"

Rocky's mind raced. He couldn't think properly anymore. He was too hungry and tired to dwell on the issue. He had to trust Zhane, after all he had been chosen to fulfill the prophecy.

"Okay" he said conceding. "Whatever you think."

Zhane looked back at Rocky with surprise. He hadn't expected him to change his mind so quickly. He stared at the glowing circle, its dancing patterns of light illuminating his face. It had to be the way, he thought to himself, what else could it be? If it was, this was no time for him to be weak. He had to step up to his destiny. He looked at Rocky and gave him a nod. "Okay" he said, his heart pounding with apprehension. "Now!" he cried. Both lads jumped into the glowing circle and instantly disappeared from the cave.


End file.
